Gravel driveway cost in Decatur, AL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,000 sq ft)
- $2,200 – $9,050
- Per sq ft
- $2.20 – $8.90
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $6,350
- Rank of 300 metros
- #256
- 1 = most expensive
Decatur homeowners pay roughly $2,200 to $9,050 to install a gravel driveway at 1,000 sq ft, or $2.20 to $8.90 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Decatur is 11% lower. Construction laborers earn a median of $18.11 an hour in the Decatur area, 20% below the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 1,000 sq ft in Decatur, AL, standard level
$4,250 to $7,000
About $4.20 to $6.90 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,250 | $3,700 |
| Labor | $1,950 | $3,150 |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $120 |
| Total | $4,250 | $7,000 |
Cost breakdown for 1,000 sq ft in Decatur, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $3,000 | $4,800 | 53% |
| Labor | $1,050 | $2,550 | $4,050 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $85 | $170 | 2% |
| Total | $2,200 | $5,650 | $9,050 | 100% |
What is behind the Decatur number
Labor is 45% of the midpoint bill here, against 50% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is construction laborers (50%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (50%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Decatur the blended ratio comes out at 0.81.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Decatur metro is 96.4 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1,000 sq ft comes to $3,000, compared with $3,100 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (87.2) and land at $0 to $170.
How Decatur compares
Same job, same size (1,000 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Nashville is the priciest of the group at $6,100. Tuscaloosa is the cheapest at $5,550.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur, ALthis page | $2,200 – $9,050 | $5,650 | |
| Huntsville, AL30 miles | $2,200 – $9,050 | $5,650 | level |
| Birmingham, AL75 miles | $2,300 – $9,300 | $5,800 | +3% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL105 miles | $2,200 – $8,900 | $5,550 | −2% |
| Chattanooga, TN105 miles | $2,300 – $9,400 | $5,850 | +4% |
| Nashville, TN115 miles | $2,400 – $9,800 | $6,100 | +8% |
| Alabama (statewide) | $2,200 – $8,950 | $5,550 | −1% |
| United States | $2,500 – $10,200 | $6,350 | +13% |
Across 300 US metros, Decatur comes in at #256 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $9,500; the cheapest is McAllen, TX at $5,200 (midpoints, 1,000 sq ft). Statewide, Decatur is 1% above the Alabama figure.
Other Alabama metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 520,290 jobs | $2,300 – $9,300 | $5,800 | +3% |
| Huntsville, AL | 266,650 jobs | $2,200 – $9,050 | $5,650 | level |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $2,200 – $8,950 | $5,550 | −1% |
| Montgomery, AL | 165,550 jobs | $2,150 – $8,800 | $5,500 | −3% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $2,200 – $8,900 | $5,550 | −2% |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $2,200 – $9,050 | $5,600 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Decatur's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Decatur against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | 61,770 jobs | $2,300 – $9,400 | $5,850 | +4% |
| Dothan, AL | 60,720 jobs | $2,100 – $8,650 | $5,400 | −5% |
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $2,450 – $9,950 | $6,200 | +10% |
| Sheboygan, WI | 60,630 jobs | $2,600 – $10,600 | $6,600 | +17% |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Decatur is 0.81 times the national level.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 50% of the weighting: a median of $18.11 an hour, 20% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $15.52 and $23.05 an hour. About 690 work in the metro. That is 112.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073, weighted 50%) the local median is $23.79 an hour, which is 17% below the national $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.70 and $28.46 an hour. BLS counts 290 of them working in the area, 47.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the construction laborers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($23.05 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $340. At the 25th percentile ($15.52) it shrinks by about $180. The total moves by 6.1% or 3.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 61,240 jobs in the Decatur area. That makes it the 283rd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 50% | $15.52 | $18.11 | $23.05 | $22.66 | 0.80 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 50% | $21.70 | $23.79 | $28.46 | $28.78 | 0.83 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.81 | |||||
Optional extras in Decatur
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Decatur by the average of the local wage index (0.81) and goods index (0.96), a factor of 0.89. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add edging (approx. 1 ft per 10 sq ft) | $440 – $1,600 |
When to schedule gravel driveway in Decatur
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Decatur Pryor Fld (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
February through June and September through December are the stretches where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Decatur (9 of 12 months). January has an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F); July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 62 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Decatur gets about 49 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are February, March and December (5.2 inches in December). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.2 and 3.2 inches. The station averages about 64 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | 32 | 4.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 55 | 35 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Mar | 64 | 42 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 50 | 4.5 | Workable |
| May | 81 | 59 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 88 | 67 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 70 | 4.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 90 | 68 | 3.0 | Hot |
| Sep | 85 | 61 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 75 | 50 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 62 | 39 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Dec | 54 | 35 | 5.2 | Workable |
Related projects, priced for Decatur
Because every project leans on different trades, Decatur's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, sod installation runs −6% and concrete driveway −14%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $2,750 – $6,600 | −10% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,150 – $7,800 | −14% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $540 – $1,900 | −11% |
| Sod installation | 1,500 sq ft | $1,400 – $3,100 | −6% |
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,150 – $4,650 | −11% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,800 | −12% |
Why two Decatur quotes can differ
Grading and edging
Grading runs $1-$3 per sq ft. Edging to keep the stone in is $5-$18 per linear foot.
Stone is sold by weight
Stone is priced by the ton, so every extra inch of depth or foot of width adds loads of delivery.
Permit
A driveway permit is typically $50-$200 where one is needed for a new curb cut or connection; plenty of rural counties require none.
Cost by quality level and size in Decatur
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Decatur wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$2,200 to $4,950
Crusher-run spread and compacted on firm ground
Standard
$4,250 to $7,000
Excavated base plus top course, fabric, light grading
Premium
$6,300 to $9,050
Deep multi-layer build, edging, culvert or drainage
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| single car (500 sq ft) | $1,100 – $2,500 | $2,150 – $3,550 | $3,200 – $4,600 |
| two car (1,000 sq ft) | $2,200 – $4,950 | $4,250 – $7,000 | $6,300 – $9,050 |
| 100 ft x 10 ft (1,000 sq ft) | $2,200 – $4,950 | $4,250 – $7,000 | $6,300 – $9,050 |
| long rural (2,000 sq ft) | $4,450 – $9,850 | $8,500 – $13,900 | $12,500 – $17,900 |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $4,250 to $7,000 for Decatur, AL is attached.
Detailed gravel driveway report for Decatur, AL, $9
Multi-page report for Decatur, AL: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Gravel driveway in Decatur: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a gravel driveway in Decatur?
For 1,000 sq ft, expect $2,200 to $9,050 in the Decatur area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,250 to $7,000. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for gravel driveway in Decatur?
About $2.20 to $8.90 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $170 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $2.50 to $10.
+Is gravel driveway cheaper in Decatur or Huntsville?
Huntsville is 30 miles away. The midpoint for 1,000 sq ft there is $5,650, which is 0% less than Decatur ($5,650). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Decatur?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $2,550 out of $5,650. Materials are 53% and permits 2%. Nationally, labor is 50%.
+What would 100 ft x 10 ft (1,000 sq ft) cost in Decatur?
$2,200 to $9,050. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does gravel driveway need a permit in Decatur?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $170 for fees in the Decatur area (our national range of $0 to $200 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Decatur expensive for gravel driveway compared with the rest of Alabama?
Decatur is 1% above the Alabama statewide estimate ($5,550 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Alabama; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Decatur?
The BLS median is $18.11 an hour in the Decatur area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $15.52 to $23.05.
+What do basic and premium gravel driveway work cost in Decatur?
For 1,000 sq ft, basic work runs $2,200 to $4,950 and premium work $6,300 to $9,050. Basic means: crusher-run spread and compacted on firm ground. Premium means: deep multi-layer build, edging, culvert or drainage.
+When is the best time to install a gravel driveway in Decatur?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through June and September through December. September and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
+What does "add edging" add in Decatur?
$440 to $1,600 for 1,000 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Gravel driveway near Decatur
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Gravel Driveway Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- CalculateGravel: Gravel Driveway Cost in 2026 (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Installed range spans a basic spread-and-compact job ($2.50/sq ft low, CalculateGravel) to a full build with excavation ($10/sq ft high, HomeGuide). Materials low end is DIY stone ($1.20/sq ft, CalculateGravel); high end is half of HomeGuide's $10 because it says labor is about 50% of the project.